Alcoholism is a teenage disease Alcoholism is truly the world's greatest equal opportunity employer in that it can affect anyone who drinks at any point in his life. The following article, reprinted with the permission of Ambassador College, Pasadena, Calif., addresses the problem of teenage drinking. Many parents are giving a sigh of relief. After a decade of turning on with all kinds of illegal, bizarre and strange drugs, teenagers are turning back to the familiar, tried-and-true alcohol. From frying pan into the fire They have no reason whatsoever to rejoice. For one thing, teenagers aren't turning to alcohol instead of other drugs, but in addition to them. Marijuana experimentation and use is still increasing among young people, and smoking tobacco-another drug disguised as a mere social amenity-is also on the rebound. The only significant decline in illicit drugs involves the use of the hard drugs-heroin, speed, etc. But alcohol itself is one of the hardest drugs of all. Familiarity with it in our society has bred complacency and ignorance of its many health hazards. That is why Dr. Morris Chafetz, Director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States, warns: "Parents who learn their children are not using the socalled 'other' drugs, but the drug alcohol are relieved. And while we are not getting into a competitive battle with other drugs, but a comparative one, parents are being relieved into a serious situation. Since no drug comes close in any measurement to the human and social destruction of alcohol problems, these parents are being relaxed into a situation that is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire." Hitting the bottle harder Juvenile tipplers are nothing new, of course. But today's youngsters are starting to drink at an earlier age and are hitting the bottle harder than those in their parents' generation. There are an estimated 500,000 juvenile alcoholics and problem drinkers in the United States. Tens of thousands of them are less than 12 years old! About 5% of all high school students get drunk at least once a week and are, therefore, certified problem drinkers. Another 23% get drunk an average of four times a year and are in danger of becoming problem drinkers. One of the hazards of teenage drinking is that a lot of it is done while cruising around in a car. Cars have become favorite "watering holes" for boozing it up. But drinking and driving don't mix-60% of traffic deaths among youth involve alcohol. Drinking and other drugs don't mix either. Taking alcohol and uppers, downers, or opiates can result in a synergistic syndrome-the combination of drugs results in an effect far greater than the effects of the drugs taken on separate occasions. Thus, one small dose of antihistamine chased down by one small dose of alcohol will have not two-but perhaps twenty times the effect of a single drink. And alcohol mixed with barbituates or other "downers' can be fatal. Perhaps one reason parents aren't as alarmed about their children's abuse of alcohol is that its toll on their health is not as quick or dramatic as it is with other drugs. It's hard to find serious medical symptoms of alcohol abuse in young people because it takes a long time for the symptoms to develop. A youngster who starts to drink heavily at 13 may not develop cirrhosis of the liver until 10 or 20 years later. But what alcohol lacks in speed, it makes up in thoroughness and permanency. Once the damage to health is doneit's irreversible. If you suspect your son or daughter has a drinking problem, level with them. Be sure of your facts. Punishing, bribing, or preaching seldom helps and often makes matters worse. If you can't communicate with your teenager-well, that's part of his drinking problem, too. Suggest he speak to someone he might respect or listen to a family doctor, clergyman, or school counselor. Take a look at your own lifestyle and drinking habits. One of the strongest influences on a teenager's drinking habits is the example set by his parents. Statistically, alcoholism does tend to run in families; most teens with drinking problems come from families with drinking problems. KINGSTON-Ambassador Sumner Gerard, right, and Defense Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Mervyn Burns, U.S. Marine Corps, inspect a shipment of relief supplies provided to the Jamaican Government to assist hundreds of Jamaicans who were dispossessed from their homes during the recent civil strife. The onlookers are Jamaica Defense Force troops who assumed responsibility for erecting a tent city donated by AID through the Ambassador. Assessing potential for higher level jobs Is there a way to estimate how well Schedule of courses at FSI Program International narcotics control an individual will perform in a higher The foreign affairs executive seminar In its simplest form, assessment subjects candidates for advancement to simulated work conditions they would confront if promoted. Trained observers (assessors) watch the candidates perform in the simulated work situations (assessment exercises) and judge their capacity for performance in higher level jobs. The Department held an experimental assessment program in March. Using "off-the-shelf" assessment exercises designed for the management intern level by Department Dimensions, Inc., the 124th Junior Officer class was assessed by FSO assessors of classes 5, 4, and 3. The assessors were trained by a team headed by Dale Baker, Personnel Research Psychologist, of the Civil Service Commission. The exercises they used included a leaderless group discussion, an assigned role group discussion, a problem to analyze, and an interview simulation. Administrative training Consular training Procedure Special Consular Services Economic training Advanced Economic Review Seminar Senior Trade Expansion Seminar Business/Commercial Activities Political training Quantitative Techniques in Political Computers and Foreign Affairs New courses being offered Human Relations and Secretarial by USDA this summer The Graduate School of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has scheduled many new courses for the summer session. These include Nature Photography, Interior Design, Law for the Layperson, Cartooning, and Consumer Buying Workshop. In addition, the school offers hundreds of job-related courses for those seeking advancement and for those interested in developing new skills and techniques. Graduate School credits are recognized by the Civil Service Commission for examination and job qualification purposes on the same basis as those from accredited colleges and universities. Registration by mail ends May 22. Registration in person will be held in Office Procedures The Art of Dictation Workshop for The Art of Machine Transcription 333 3 7,28 12 5 days 3 Volunteer English Teaching Seminar Area studies and language training. See opposite page. Room 1339, South Agriculture Build- The summer schedule of classes may be obtained at the school, in Room 1031, or by calling 447-4419. Levy foundation donates Nassau property The June Rockwell Levy Foundation, Inc., recently gave the United States 15.3 acres of property in Nassau, the Bahamas, valued at $726,000. Accepting the deed on behalf of the Department are, left, Orlan C. Ralston, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Foreign Buildings, and John M. Thomas, Assistant Secretary for Administration, right. At center is John T. Noonan, Trustee for the Levy Foundation, who made the presentation. The Nassau real estate was formerly owned by philanthropist Austin T. Levy and his wife. Before his death in 1951 Mr. Levy established the June Rockwell Levy Foundation with the "guiding principle that wealth is a trust." The property includes a 3.5-acre waterfront site known as the Ship A'Hoy, on West Bay Street, which the Levys used as their winter home for many years. Mrs. Levy also used the Ship A'Hoy as a winter home until her death in 1971. The property is now vacant. The foundation's gift includes two other properties near the Ship A'Hoy-one of 11.1 acres and the other of seven-tenths of an acre. Visas needed to enter Spain Embassy Madrid has reminded all personnel with U.S. diplomatic or official passports that they must have visas to enter Spain. There are no exceptions. Since January 28, 1975, the Government of Spain has required persons with such passports to have visas before entering the country. In recent months several U.S. citizens have arrived without the visas and in some cases they were barred by the Spanish authorities, the Embassy reported. NEW DIRECTIVES General Federal agencies and components of the Department must submit all economic/ commercial data requests and related communications to appropriate substantive offices and bureaus of the Department for coordination and clearance before transmitting them to overseas posts. (TL:GEN-1026) Chiefs of diplomatic missions are to insure that post reports reflect agency policies relating to equal employment opportunity and privateperson status of spouses. Posts are encouraged to incorporate the views of spouse committees in post reports. (TL:GEN-177) Personnel Specific procedures for recommending Foreign Service officers to the Secretary for appointment to the classes of Career Ambassador and Career Minister have been deleted. The Board of the Foreign Service has been given the sole responsibility for such recommendations. (TL:PER-416) A checklist of current pages for Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 3 (Foreign Service), has been issued. (TL:PER-417) The Health and Medical Information Report has been expanded to include the names and addresses of available hospitals and facilities for the treatment of American handicapped dependents, including special educational opportunities for learning disabilities. (Uniform State/AID/USIA TL:PER-418) The Department and USIA will establish the level of language competence required for each position that has been designated as language essential. Exceptions to the prescribed language training for officers who do not possess the requisite language proficiency must be approved by the Director of the Office of Career Development and Assignment for State or by the Chief, Foreign Service Personnel Division for USIA. (Uniform State/USIA TL:PER-419) A complete table of contents has been revised for Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 3 (Department). As a result, some pages of text have also been revised to reflect current references. (TL:PER-1081) A checklist of current pages for Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 3 (Department), has been issued. (TL: PER-1082) Revised instructions for the preparation of the Officer Evaluation Report OF-266 (to be renamed "The Foreign Service Evaluation Report'') has been issued. (FAMC-712) Financial Management New subscription rates for FEHBA Carriers effective January 4, 1976, replace the rates which were in effect through January 3, 1976. (TL:FIN-218) Special Consular Affairs Revision has been made to include current procedures and recent legislative actions affecting services provided by the Social Security Administration. (TL:CON-63) Educational and Cultural Affairs Revised procedures have been issued which govern foreign student grants funded fully or partially under the authority of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended. (TL:CU-21) WASHINGTON-Scott F. Imirie, Jr., Chief of the General Services Division, OPR/GS, left, presents Lee E. Young, Motor Vehicle Operator, OPR/GS/MTB, with a Certificate of Merit as A/O's Employee of the Month and also a Cash Award for his performance. KINGSTON-Ambassador Sumner Gerard is pictured with Embassy staff members to whom he recently presented awards. From left to right are Richard Baque, 20-year Length of Service Award; Carolyn Kingsley, Meritorious Honor Award; Ambassador Gerard; and Richard Andre and Gus Peleuses, both of whom received Meritorious Honor Awards at the ceremony. HEIDELBERG-General George S. Blanchard, Commander in Chief, U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army, presents a 30year Length of Service Award pin to Howard J. Ashford, Jr., Political Adviser here. TEL AVIV-Ambassador Malcolm Toon, center, presented Length of Service Awards to Embassy staff members, from left to right, George R. Younts, Jr., 20 years; John G. Peters, 25 years; Jeanette B. Engelking, 10 years; and Gerald C. Mull, 30 years. DUBLIN—Ambassador Walter J. P. Curley, right, presents the Department's Meritorious Honor Award to James W. Steeves, Communications and Records Officer. FUKUOKA-Principal Officer Karl Spence Richardson, center, recently presented Length of Service Awards to four Foreign Service Local employees. Shown left to right are Tetsushi Matsuo, 25 years; Takeshi Akiyoshi, 25; Hatsue Ashihara, 20; and Junichiro Narahara, 20. Looking on are Vice Consuls James M. Griffin, second from left, and Kenneth L. Norton. WASHINGTON John Richardson, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Af- ROME-Ambassador John A. Volpe, left, presents a 30-year Length of Service Award to Robert M. Miller, Counselor for Administrative Affairs. Mr. Miller in turn gave the Ambassador a 10-year Award. BEIRUT George B. Lambrakis, Chargé d'Affaires, center in light suit, poses with the Foreign Service local employees who received Meritorious Salary Increases in recognition of their sustained record of attendance and performance under unusual conditions during the civil disturbances in Lebanon. On Mr. Lambrakis' left is Zoher Mograbi, the Ambassador's chauffeur, who received a $500 award for his part in rescuing several American citizens stranded in hotels in the area of heavy fighting. |